Mile Markers

Leanne Bonning
Apr 28, 2021
6 min read

There are seven ancient wonders of the world. Probably more have been added to the list but I quit paying attention after grade school. I propose we add a new one to the list, though. Dreams.

Why in this great big world of wonders would I dream of mile markers? I have no context for this dream. Nothing more than a photograph in my mind of those small posts that dot each mile along the interstates. I have not been traveling. I have no plans to travel. Yet, those mile signs unexpectedly showed up and found me in my sleep like a stalker finds an arrest warrant.

I rarely dream so when I do, it’s a big deal and I always try to find a meaning to it. Experts in the field of dreams have many studies on sleep and dreams. The consensus of these studies state that we all dream. Experts also talk about the types of sleep, REM vs nonREM, and that type of sleep dictates how we dream.

I don’t pretend to be skilled in the area of dreaming but I do find it interesting. I try to keep myself well educated on interesting and non-confrontational subjects because it helps me at social events. Speaking of parties, I spoke to a guy at a party who dreamed consecutively…the same dream for several days and each night his dream picked right back up where he left it before. That’s insanely interesting. Unless he made that story up.

Back to those mile markers…

I couldn’t get it off my mind all day. Why mile markers?

In the afternoon, I took my walk at a nearby park. It’s a beautiful walking trail along the creek and through the woods and around the ball fields and playground. On any day, the sights and sounds of kids playing can be overheard and many people scurry along on the trail. I have walked that park two hundred times but never had I noticed the mile markers until today.

And the same question…Why would I dream of mile markers? What’s it all about?

In the distance, I saw a lady on the walking trail getting her exercise, too. She appeared to be in conversation although no one was with her. Giving effort to all sorts of hand motions, she was quite lively.

She wasn’t talking on the phone. She was using her phone to play music and she was ALL into it. She was singing like no one was watching. Like I do in my truck when a feel good song comes on the radio.

The song was familiar to me. It was a Christmas song…OMGolly! Christmas in the middle of April. I loved her already. I listen to Christmas songs all year long and so it was kind to encounter another Christmas lover walking in my path in the middle of May.

Right before we passed each other, I gave her a smile and a great big “Merry Christmas!”. Which stopped both of us in our tracks. I was delighted when she promptly turned course and joined me in my walk.

Her name is Vivian. In my entire circle of acquaintances, she is the only Vivian I have ever met. She has grown children and grandchildren, all of whom she adores. We have this in common.

She has lived in this community all her life. She is retired. She is a member of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. She sings in the choir.

And there’s more I learned.

“Why ain’t I ever seen you here before?” she asked.

Before I could answer, she continued.

“I’m here every day. I never saw you here but I’m glad to see you today.”

Without a break.

“I walk five miles every day. Rain don’t bother me. Cold do. I don’t like the cold but I still walk in it. I don’t walk in the snow though. You know I couldn’t walk for years?”

Which wasn’t a question because I never got a chance to respond. But I enjoy Vivian’s story, none the less.

“Nope. Couldn’t do this right here. I was in too much pain, girl! I needed back surgery but I was too scared to let them cut on me so I stayed in pain. I worked everyday though.”

I empathized, as I also suffered from back issues for most of my years. But I never got a chance to share that with her. She continued without break.

“I was on my feet eight hours a day at my job. By the time I got home, all I could do was lay in the bed and try to get recovered for the next day. I told my husband I couldn’t live like that no more. It was my birthday and I said Happy Birthday to me and I quit my job.”

Perhaps my look of surprise finally gave her pause so I jumped in. Asking the obvious.

“Really? How could you do that? What did you do for money? How did you survive?” I relentlessly probed. It was probably too much to ask of a stranger but at this point in our walk, we didn’t feel like strangers anymore.

She said with a toothy smile “Aw hon, the good Lord above took care of us.”

That’s it? I wanted to know how the good Lord above took care of her. I wanted to hear more. But time was running out.

I glanced over to my right to see that we had reached mile marker three. My limit. So I started making my departing comments, no Irish good-byes will be allowed today.

“Vivian, it was nice meeting you. I am so glad our paths crossed.” I said.

She saw me look over and acknowledge the three mile marker and she must have felt my rush to end our walk.

We stopped on the trail. She grabbed my hand. With the sun in her face and a wrinkled-up nose, she said, “There’s no time for regrets so don’t let those mile markers limit you”.

Walking back to my truck, I felt hugged by God. First the dream of mile markers. Then meeting Vivian, a stranger, and her words of encouragement about mile markers. God was telling me something.

He has been nudging at my heart for a while on this subject and He up’d His game today. He sent Vivian; choir director at the Mt Carmel Baptist church, fellow Christmas crusader and ambassador for the Kingdom.

On my drive home, I put thought and prayer to this and here is what I concluded. I have been so concerned about the markers that govern the progressions of my life that I have forgotten to embrace the journey, the people, the enjoyment of the moment, and my gifts.

When I started writing years ago, I hid it. I kept my writing to myself within the confines of my journals. I had every excuse of why I wasn’t qualified to be a writer so I hid my light under a bushel (Luke 8:16). My excuses were many - I needed to have a degree in literature. I needed to have a career in this field to help hone and validate my skills. One day, I will pursue the writing degree and go to work for a publisher or a magazine or a newspaper. That’s all hogwash thinking that limited my ability TODAY to do what I love TODAY.

My gift is communication and I love to write. Therefore, I created The Copper Cloak blog. I write every day; little thoughts and life happenings that impact me much. Through the blog, I give them to you. I pray you find encouragement through the miles that mark my journey and I hope you find inspiration to love yourself and to live a life well loved.

Tomorrow, I hope to see Vivian on the trail. I’ll do five miles with her. No regrets. No peering at the mile markers to see how far we’ve gone. Just a lovely walk with a lovely lady while enjoying the precious moments of peering into her life for a short while.

And I will keep writing. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, NO! I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine!